Central Java Had 419 Villages with Slum Settlements in 2020

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded 419 villages in Central Java with slum settlements in 2020. Of that number, Pemalang Regency had the most, with 56 villages.

Tegal Regency was second, with 46 villages having slum settlements. Surakarta City had 32 villages with slum settlements.

Pekalongan Regency had 29 villages with slum settlements, the same number as Brebes Regency and Semarang City.

Magelang Regency and Temanggung Regency each had 18 villages with slum settlements, as did Kebumen Regency and Kendal Regency.

Batang Regency and Magelang City were free of villages with slum settlements that year. Cilacap Regency and Wonogiri Regency each only had 1 village with slum settlements.

Slum areas are residential areas inhabited by a group of people with temporary buildings, lacking access to safe drinking water, adequate sanitation facilities, and with inadequate environmental conditions. The large number of slum settlements reflects a high poverty rate in an area.

Furthermore, the emergence of slum settlements impacts the surrounding environment. Therefore, intensive attention from the government, private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the general public is needed to address the issue of slum settlements.